Stevens 87D 22LR. Fixed.

My Grandpa gave that 22 to me in about 1960, I suppose. It was always a great shooter, and I took care of a bazillion water snakes, turtles, squirrels, and red wing blackbirds. But, it quit working right and started stovepiping. I fiddled with it for decades, and finally gave up. No way i’d ever get rid of it though. Two weeks ago I was digging around in the back of the gunsafe and found it again. Went to the Internet for advice, fiddled with it some more and managed to break the cartridge spring guide. Numrich had one, and I installed it today (real easy), and the old rifle shoots great again. I’m thinking that I’m a good accidental gunsmith. Only took me 50 years to fix the rifle.

Now, where are the snakes and red wing blackbirds.....

I hate it when I put off projects for years only to discover that it was an easy project, after all. The cost of too many projects I suppose...

I have an 87E that shoots patterns. Glad yours is a shooter.

Wow, 50 years to fix your 22. I'll bet your wife hasn't updated her honey do list in a long time, what's the point. Is that the rifle with bolt handle that can be positioned to run single shot or semi? I sold one I fixed for a buddy that didn't come back for it after 2 years and repeated warnings.

Gary, yes it is the one that can be run as a bolt action or semi. It has what looks like gills on the left side of the action.

Yep, 50 years from broke to fixed. But surely none of you guys believe that I could slide by for that long trying to avoid the honey do list.

The rifle supposedly won’t cycle with 22 shorts and longs, though I really don’t remember whether it did or didn’t back in the day. I did the shooting today with a random mix of ammo. The rifle cycled with everything but some ‘low speed’ Mexican 22 LR ammo. The regular ammo had the usual Kachow sound. The Mexican stuff went “Sput”.